Oψιανού
by annabethchase999
Summary: Moving to West Virginia to a town with no mailboxes sucks. She has a hot next door neighbor with green eyes, and she thought things would turn up... that is, until he opened his mouth. Percy Jackson is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. And a mystery. She isn't exactly interested in figuring him out, but is soon sucked into a world Annabeth Chase never thought possible.
1. Make An Effort

I stared at the boxes surrounding my new bedroom, wishing the internet was hooked up so I could get on my blog. According to my mom, "Annabeth's Crazy Obsession" was my whole life. Not really, but it was important to me. She didn't get books the way I did and not being able to get on my review blog made me feel as if I was missing an arm or leg.

I dragged out an exhausted sigh. We'd only been here two days and we had yet to unpack everything.

Ketterman was unincorporated, meaning it wasn't a _real_ town. The closest place was Petersburg, which I'm betting still didn't even have a Starbucks. You know what also sucked? We couldn't get our mail at our house. We had to drive _into_ Petersburg to get it.

Barbaric.

And then there it was, like a kick in my face. California was gone- eatin away by the miles we'd traveled in my Mom's dash to start over. It wasn't much that I missed my old apartment or school.

I missed my Dad.

And California _was_ Dad. It was where he'd been born, where he met my mom, and where they lived a life of a perfect, happy couple- until everything fell apart. I bit my lip to push back tears. Crying wouldn't change anything.

I missed my Mom too. The mom I had before Dad died. The one that would curl up with me on the couch on weekends and sometimes school nights and watch corny chick flicks with me until we started feeling sick from the amount of junk food we consumed.

Ever since my Dad's passing, she's worked more and more, adding unnecessary shifts on at the hospital. She used to want to be home more. In fact it almost seemed a bit unhealthy how much she'd stay home, cleaning and sleeping all day. Then out of nowhere she wanted to get out of the house, far away from it.

And thats where we ended up now. Far away from what I used to consider home and now in a town that didn't have houses with mailboxes.

Great.

The smell of food wafted into my senses and I stood from my bed.

I'd take care of the boxes later.

I made my way downstairs and into the kitchen. Mom was in her blue and purple scrubs today as she stirred whatever it was she was cooking in a pot. Only she could look good head-to-toe in all polka dots. My Mom was beautiful and the exact opposite of me. She had stick-straight light blonde hair and stunning hazel eyes. She was tall and slender, and even in scrubs made my curly honey-colored hair and dull grey eyes look boring.

And somehow I had ended up more...round than her. Curvy hips, puffy lips and huge eyes that Mom loved but made me look like a demented kewpie doll.

"Hey, Sweetie," she said, acknowledging me without turning around.

"Hey, what are you making?" I ask, taking a seat on one of the table chairs.

"Cranberry pancakes," she replied.

Agh, her pancakes were the best and it made me smile. She hadn't made these in months so it was nice to see. And smell. Mmmm.

"Awesome," I grabbed a plate and plopped a few of the finished ones down onto it before grabbing some syrup. I was suprised we had syrup. The move was a bit stressful and I don't know when my mom had the time to visit the grocery store. Especially since it's a long drive away. "You're here early."

"I worked almost a double shift between last night and today. I'm set to work Wednesday through Sunday, eleven 'til nine a.m. That leaves me two days off. I think I'll try to get in at one of the clinics around here those days or possibly at Winchester," she paused, "You know, I don't have anything to do, so I'm going to check into the clinics soon."

Yeah, I knew.

Most parents would rather saw an arm off before leaving their child home alone all that time, but not mine. She trusted me because I didn't give her a reason not to.

I was kind of boring.

Back in California in my group of friends, I wasn't the quiet one, but I never skipped class, I held a 4.1 GPA and was pretty much a good girl.

I stood up and walked to the fridge, but there wasn't anything in it. Yet we had syrup...

"Oh, yeah I was only able to grab a few things for breakfast on the way here. Sorry Sweetie," she explained as she started washing out the pan and then placing it in the dishwasher. She was weird like that.

"It's okay. Did you want me to go to the grocery store?" I asked grabbing a glass to pour water instead.

She nodded and grabbed a glass of her own. When we finished eating she grabbed her purse and pulled out some cash. "Here, this should be enough."

I pocketed the money without looking at the amount. She always gave me too much in he first place. "Thanks," I mumbled.

"So...this morning I saw something interesting," she leaned forward with a twinkle in her eyes.

God only knows with her. "What?"

"Did you notice that there are two kids your age next door?"

My inner golden retriever kicked in and my ears perked up, "Really?"

"You haven't been outside, have you?" She smiled, "I'd thought for sure you'd be all over that disgusting flower bed by now."

"I plan to, but the boxes aren't unpacking themselves." I gave her a pointed look, but leave it to her to somehow forget that part. "Anyway, back to the kids."

"Well one is a girl who looks about your age and there's a boy. He's a hottie."

I choked on air. It was seriously gross hearing Mom talk about boys my age. "Hottie? Mom that's seriously weird!"

She pushed away from the table and smiled, "Sweetie I may be old, but my eyes work just fine. And they were really working earlier."

Double gross.

She grabbed our plates and rinsed them off, then placing them into the dishwasher. "I just hope you'll make an effort to meet them, Annabeth. Don't you think it'd be nice to make some friends before school starts? They could even show you around."

"Yeah, it'd be nice, but I'm not sure going to their house and asking them to be my friend is going to give me a good start here."

"It wouldn't be weird if you put on one of those nice sundresses from California instead of this," she said, tugging at the hem of my shirt. "It would be flirting."

I glanced down. The words on the shirt read, My Blog Is Better Than Your Vlog. There wasn't a thing wrong with it! "How about I just show up in my undies."

She tapped her chin thoughtfully, "Now _that_ would definitely make an impression."

"Mom!" I laughed. "You're suppose to yell at me and tell me that's not a good idea!"

"Sweetie, I don't worry about you doing anything stupid. But seriously, make an effort."

I wasn't exactly sure how to 'make an effort'.

"Alright, well I'm going to catch up on sleep." she said, giving my shoulder a quick squeeze and making her way to the staircase.

"Okay, I'll go get some stuff from the store." And maybe some plants too. The flower bed outside was hideous.

* * *

I could hear my Dad's voice right now, "Don't be a bystander, Kittycat." I squared my shoulders. Dad had never let life pass _him_ by.

And asking for the nearest directions to the grocery store was an innocent-enough reason to introduce myself, even though I'd rather be sitting in my bed, with internet access and my blog up and working.

This was stupid, but I was doing it, even with knowing I might end up seeming weird to them.

I grabbed my keys and slipped on a pair of flip flops (after taking six whole minutes to find them). I made my way out of my small two-story house and locked it behind me, walking across the lawn and toward the house next to mine.

I walked onto their porch and knocked on the door, mentally giving myself a pep-talk. _I got this. I'm cool. There is nothing weird about asking for directions_.

Heavy footsteps came from the other side of the door, and then it was swinging open and I was staring at a broad, tan, well-muscled chest. A naked chest. I dropped my gaze and my breath sort of...stalled. Sweats hung low on his hips, revealing a thin line of dark hair that formed below his naval and disappeared under the band of his sweats.

His stomach was completely ripped. Totally touchable. It wasn't the kind of stomach I would have expected from a seventeen-year-old boy, which is how old I assumed he was, but I wasn't complaining. I also wasn't talking. And I was staring.

Bad Annabeth.

My gaze traveled north again and I noted- thick, sooty eyelashes fanning the tips of high, defined cheekbones and hiding the color of his eyes as he looked down at me. I needed to know the color of his eyes.

"Can I help you?" Full, kissable lips turned down in annoyance.

His voice was firm and deep and it was the kind of voice accustomed to people listening and obeying without question. He lifted his lashes, revealing green eyes so vibrant and brilliant they couldn't be real. They were an intense color that stood out in contrast to his tan skin.

"Hello?" He said again, placing one hand on the doorframe as he leaned forward. "Are you capable of speaking?"

A wave of embarrassment heated my face as I swallowed.

The boy glanced over his shoulder and brushed a wavy lock of hair away from his eyes and then looked back down at me.

Geez he was tall.

"Going once..." He mumbled.

So yeah, by the time I was able to speak, I wanted to die. "I was wondering if you knew where the nearest grocery store was. My name'a Annabeth. I moved in next door." I gestured to my house, rambling like a complete idiot. "Like two days ago-"

"I know."

_Oooo-kay_. "Well I was hoping you'd know what the quickest way to he grocery store was. And maybe a place that sells plants?"

"Plants?"

"Yeah, there's a flower bed-"

"Okay." He then said nothing, cocking his brow with disdain.

The embarrassment was soon replaced with a surge of anger. "Well, see, I need to go buy plants-"

"For the flower bed. Yeah, I get it." Something glittered in his green eyes as he leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms. Not anger. But something else.

I took a breath and my voice took a tone my mom used to use when I was little and did something naughty. And if he cut me off one more time... "I'd like to find a store where I can buy groceries and plants."

"You do realize this town only has one stoplight right?" He asked, as if questioning how dumb I could be. And then I saw a sparkling in his eyes. He was laughing at me with a healthy dose of condescension.

He was the hottest guy I'd ever met and he was a total douche. Go figure. I stared at him for a moment. "All I wanted was directions. Is this a bad time or something?"

One side of his lips curled up. "Anytime is a bad time for you to come knocking on my door, kid."

"Kid?" I repeated, eyes narrowing.

A dark brow arched again in mock. I was starting to hate that brow.

"I'm not a kid. I'm seventeen."

"Is that so now? You look like a twelve year old. No, maybe thirteen and that's pushing it. But my sister had a doll that kinda reminds me of you. All big-eyed and vacant."

I stared at him, eyes wide. "Wow. You know all I wanted was directions. Sorry to bother you. Trust me, I won't be knocking on your door again." I turned to leave before I rammed my fists into his face. Or cry.

"Hey."

I stopped but didn't turn so that he couldn't see how upset I was. "What?"

"You get on route 2 and turn onto U.S. 220 North, not Sourh. It takes you into Petersburg." he let out an irritated breath. Ha, as if he was doing me a huge favor. "You can't miss Foodland once you get there. Well maybe _you_ could. There's a hardware store next door. They should have things that go in the ground."

"Thanks," I'm muttered under my breath, "Douchebag."

His deep laugh rang through the air, "Let's be more ladylike with our words, Kittycat."

I whipped around. "Don't call me that." I snapped.

"Well isn't that nicer than calling someone a douche?" He pushed against the door. "This has been a very simulating visit. I'll cherish it for a long time to come."

"You know what you're right. How wrong of me to call you a douchbag. Because a douchebag is too nice of a word for you," I said, smiling sweetly. "You're a dickhead."

"A dickhead now? How charming."

I flipped him off.

He laughed, "Very civilized, Kitten. I'm sure you have plenty of names to throw at me, but I'm not interested."

I did have a lot more things to throw at him. But instead I gathered my dignity, turned and walked over to my house. When I reached my car, I yanked the door open with more force than necessary.

"See you later, Kitten!"

Tears of anger and embarrassment burned my eyes. Shoving my keys into the ignition, I threw my car into reverse.

'Make an effort,' Mom had said.

That is whar happens when you make an effort.

* * *

**So thank you to whoever decided to read this. I needed to do something other than just my _PjO 50 One-Shot_s. By the way, check them out!**

**Anyway this story is based on a series I just read but it'll be my own twist. **

**Review guys and check out my PJO 50 ONE-SHOTS! **


	2. Pearl

You know, I had always figured people from small towns were suppose to be really nice. What the hell was wrong with that guy? That stupidly, arrogant, jerk-like, tall, half-naked, handsome-

Bad Annabeth.

It took me the entire drive to Petersburg for me to calm down. Humiliation and anger wasn't a good mix and it had yet to leave my system.

I found the Main Street easily, in minutes, which literally seemed to be the _m__ain_ street. I passed a the Grant Count Library on Mount View and reminded myself that I needed to get a library card soon. I found Foodland, which actually read FOO LAND, brought to you by the missing letter D, where the dickhead said it would be.

I frowned when I saw on the window of the store a missing persons picture of a girl about my age with long brown hair and laughing eyes. It dated back to a year ago and there was a reward for anyone who found her. Sadly, I doubted that reward would be claimed.

I walked into Foo land and waisted no time in filling up the cart, especially since we had practically nothing but syrup at home. Soon my cart was filled to the rim.

"Annabeth?"

I jumped softly at the feminine voice that came from behind me.

"Oh! I am so sorry! I startled you. I do that a lot."

My first impression of the girl was that she was way too beautiful to be standing in a grocery store. She stood out like a sunflower in a field of wheat. I was wheat.

Everyone else was pale in comparison to her. She had midnight black hair that was curly and fell to her waist. It was longer than mine, which only fell to my mid-back. She was tall and thin and her almost perfect features held a certain innocence to them. She immediately reminded me of someone, especially those green eyes. I gritted my teeth. What were the odds?

"I'm Percy's sister. My name is Pearl." She grinned. Her smile was even killer.

"Percy?"

Pearl gestured at a hot-pink purse in the front of her cart. A cell phone was lying on top of it. "You talked to him about thirty minutes ago. You stopped by...asking for directions?"

So the dickhead had a name. Percy- kind of odd but seemed fitting. And of course his sister would be as attractive as him. Why not? Welcome to Wet Virginia, land of all the lost models. I was starting to doubt that I was going to fit in here. "Oh," I paused. "He called you?"

"Yeah," she gracefully moved her cart out of the way of a child running past her, the mother yelling at him to stop. "Anyways, I saw you guys move in. I've been meaning to stop by and introduce myself and when he said you were here I was so excited to meet you I ran over. He told me what you looked like."

I could only imagine _that_ description.

She tilted her head a bit to the side, curiosity in her green eyes. "Although you don't look anything like he said, but anyway, I'd know who you were. It's hard not to know everyone's face around here."

I bit my lip. "I don't think your brother likes me."

Her perfectly done eyebrow frowned. "Oh, I can guess at what he was like. I'm sorry, he can be kind of moody."

_No shit_. "I think that was a little more than moody."

She shook her head. "He must be having a bad day. Trust me, he doesn't hate you. He can just be worse than a girl sometimes. We're twins. Percy's kind of rough around the edges. He doesn't get along with...people."

I laughed. "You think?"

"Well I'm glad I ran into you here!" She smiled. "I wasn't sure if I'd be bothering you since I know you must be busy with settling in and everything."

"You're not bothering me." I reassured her.

"You should've seen me when Percy told me you were our age. I almost ran home to hug him." she moved excitedly. "If I'd known he had been rude to you, I'd likely have punched him instead."

I grinned. "I can imagine. I wanted to punch him too."

"Well imagine being the only girl in the neighborhood stuck living with your annoying brother most of the time." She glanced over at the milk section, which reminded me that I needed to get some.

"Be right back." I said.

I walked over to the refrigerated milk and grabbed two gallons. I placed them in my cart and then made my way back over to Pearl. She had a small frown on her face. The boy that had been running around earlier was being lectured by his mother.

"Timothy! What did I tell you!" she hissed. "You do not go near _them_!"

She was looking at Pearl with disgust in her eyes. Her lips were pinched in a thin line but behind the revolting glare she was sending Pearl's way, there was fear.

She stood up with her kid, grabbing his hand and quickly pulling him away, leaving her cart in the middle of the aisle.

I turned to Pearl. "What the heck was that about."

She shrugged her thin shoulders. "Small town. Some of the locals here are weird around here. Ignore them. Anyway, you must be so bored having to unpack and go grocery shopping. That's two of the worst things ever."

I grinned at Pearl's nonstop chatter. Usually people like that would wear me out, but the excitement in her eyes was kind of contagious.

We both checked out together. Pearl rattled on and after a bit I was able to feel more comfortable in the conversation. She wasn't necassarily bubbly, but more..._alive_. I hope she rubbed off on me.

When we walked into the parking lot, she walked up to a brand spanking new Volkswagen. "Nice car." I commented. Either they came from money or Pearl had a good job.

"Thanks!" She said with a smile, finishing putting her few groceries away. When she finished she turned to me as I continued to load my groceries into my piece of crap car. She started helping me and sighed. "I'm sorry about my brother. I know he wasn't nice to you."

I kind of felt sorry for her, being related to such a tool. "It's not your fault."

We finished and her finger twisted around her necklace. "He's just really overprotective so he doesn't take well to strangers."

_Like a dog?_ I bit my lip to stop myself from chuckling. She looked genuinely scared I wouldn't forgive her. It must suck being that guys sister. "It's really no big deal. Like you said, he must've been having a bad day."

She looked relived and I shut my trunk. "Great! So I'm totally not a stalker, I swear." She winked. "But I'd love to hang out later this afternoon. Got any plans?"

"Actually, I was thinking of getting to the flower bed in front of my house. It's in some serious need of a fixing. Want to help?"

"That sounds fun! I'll just get my groceries home and come right over!" She smiled and I smiled back at her in agreement.

She was quick to get in her car and head home, before I could even step foot in mine.

Suddenly, the feeling of being watched crept over me. My eyes scanned the parking lot but there was only a man standing by the window in a black suit staring at the missing person'a picture. All I could think was _Men In Black_.

All he needed was a memory-wiper device and a talking dog. I almost laughed, except nothing about him was funny, especially since he was now staring straight right back at me.

* * *

Pearl grinned as she sat on the swing on my front porch. "As soon as I came home, Percy ate half a bag of _my_ potato chips, two of _my_ fudge pops, and then half of the peanut butter jar."

I started to laugh. "Wow. How does he stay so..." Hot. "Fit?"

"It's amazing." She wrapped her arms around her legs. "That boy eats so much that I'm usually running with him to the grocery store two to three times a week. Although I guess I shouldn't be talking. I can eat nearly as much as him when I'm hungry."

My envy was almost painful. I wasn't blessed like that with a fast metabolism. My hips and butt could attest to that. No, I wasn't overweight, but I really hated it when Mom referred to me as 'curvy'. "That's so not fair! I eat like a bag of chips and gain five pounds."

"We're lucky." Her easy grin seemed tight. "Anyway, tell me about California. I've never been there."

I propped myself up. "Think nonstop shopping malls and parking lots. And the beaches of course. Totally worth it when it comes to the beaches there."

Pearls's eyes darted next door as if she was waiting for someone. "Wow. It's going to take a while for you to adjust here then."

I shrugged. "It doesn't seem that bad. Although when I first found out, I was like you have _got_ to be kidding me. I didn't even know this place existed."

"Yeah a lot of people don't. We were shocked when we came here."

"Oh, you guys aren't from around here?"

Her smile died off as her gaze flickered away from me. "No, we're not from around here."

"Did your parents move here for work or something?" Although this place doesn't exactly look like 'job central'.

"Yeah, they work in the city. We don't see them a lot."

Pearl looks up at the sky. "Oh no! It looks like it's going to rain. One of our famous afternoon rainstorms. They usually last a few hours."

"That's too bad. I guess we can plan to garden tomorrow?"

"Sure thing, Annabeth." She shivered with the suddenly chilled air.

"It's weird. This storm seemed to have come out of nowhere."

She stood up, wiping her hands on her pants. "Looks like that. Well, I think your Mom is up. I need to go wake up Percy."

"Sleeping? That's a little late."

"He's weird," Pear said. "I'll be back tomorrow and we can head to the garden shop together."

Laughing, I slid off the rail. "Sounds good."

"Great!" she skipped down the steps and twirled around. "I'll tell Percy you said hi!"

I felt my cheeks burn. "Um, that won't be necessary."

"Trust me it is!" She laughed and went to the house next door.

Great.

* * *

Mom was in the kitchen, her coffee in hand with an innocent look on her face that gave her away.

I rolled my eyes and say at the table. "She lives next door, her name is Pearl and I ran into her at the grocery store. She has a brother. His name's Percy. They're twins."

"Twins? Interesting." she smiled, "Is Pearl nice?"

I sighed. "Yes, Mom. She's very nice."

"I'm so happy. It's about time you came out of your shell."

Hmf. I didn't know I was in a shell.

* * *

**Well there chapter number 2 goes! I hope you guys are loving it so far. Please leave a review it motivates the crap out of me to update quicker!**

**Thank you to all who reviewed and/or favorited/followed! **

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**Love,**

**annabethchase999**


	3. Dirty

The day my internet was hooked up was better than having a hot guy check out my butt and ask for my phone number. Since it was Wednesday, I'd typed up a quick "Waiting on Wednesday" post for my blog featuring this YA book about a hot boy with a killer touch-can't go wrong there-apologized for my extended absence, responded to comments, and stalked a few other blogs I loved. It was like coming home.

"Annabeth?" Mom yelled up the stairs. "Your friend Pearl is here."

"Coming," I shouted back my response and closed my laptop.

I went downstairs and Pearl and I went to he hardware store. It wasn't anywhere near FOO LAND like Percy had said. They had everything I needed to fix the gross flower bed outside my house.

Back home, we each grabbed a side of a bag and hauled it out of my trunk. The bags were ridiculously heavy and by the time we were able to get the all out, we both were wiping sweat off of our foreheads.

"Want to get something to drink before we drag those over to the flower bed?" I offered, arms achy.

Pearl nodded and wrung her fingers together. "I need to lift weights. Moving stuff sucks."

We headed inside and grabbed iced tea.

"Remind me to join the local gym," I joked, rubbing my puny arms.

Pearl laughed, and somehow still managed to look gorgeous all red-faced and tired. I'm sure I looked like a serial killer. At least we knew now that I was too weak to do any real damage. "Ummm. Ketterman. Our idea of a gym is dragging your garbage can to the end of the street or hauling hay."

She pushed her hair away from her sweaty face in frustration and I dug up a hair tie for her. I joked about the I coolness of my new small town and suggested we get to work.

We'd only been inside for about ten minutes, but when we got outside, all the bags of soil and mulch were stacked next to the porch.

I glanced at her, suprised. "How did they get over there?"

Dropping own on her knees, she started pulling at the weeds. "Probably my brother."

"Percy?"

She nodded. "He's always the thankless hero."

"Thankless hero," I muttered. Not likely. I'd sooner believe the bags levitated their way over here.

Pearl and I attacked the weeds with more energy than I thought we had. I always thought that pulling at weeds was a good way to let off steam, and if Pearl'a jerky movements were any indication, she had a lot to be frustrated about. With a brother like hers, I wasn't surprised.

Later, Pearl stared at her chipped nails. "Well there went my manicure."

I smiled. "I told you, you should've gotten gloves."

"But you're not wearing any," she pointed out.

I glanced down at my dirty hands and winced. My nails were usually stubbed and chipped. "Yeah, but I'm use to it."

Pearl shrugged and went over to grab a rake. She looked funny in her skirt and wedged heels, which she insisted were the height of gardening couture, and dragged the rake over to me. "This is fun though."

"Better than shopping?" I joked.

She seemed to seriously consider it, scrunching her nose. "Yeah, it's more...relaxing."

"It is. I don't think when I'm doing stuff like this."

She started taking the faded mulch out of the bed. "Do you do it to avoid thinking?"

I sat back and ripped open another bag of mulch, not exactly sure how to answer that. "My dad...he liked doing things like this. He had a green thumb and at my old apartment we made a flower bed together on my balcony since we didn't have a yard or anything."

"What happened to your dad? Did your parents get divorced?"

I pressed my lips together. He was a great man- a great father who didn't deserve what happened to him. But talking about him was something I never did- like ever.

Pearl paused, "I'm sorry. It's none of my business, Annabeth."

"No it's okay," I stood up and brushed my hands against my shirt. When I looked up she was leaning the rake against the porch. Her entire left arm blurred. I could see the white railing through it. I blinked. Her arm was solid again.

"Annabeth? Are you okay?"

Heart pounding, I dragged my eyes from her arm to her face and then back to her arm. It was whole. Perfect. I shook my head. "Yeah, I'm okay. Umm...my dad. He, uh, got sick. Cancer. It was terminal-in the brain. He'd been getting headaches, seeing things." I swallowed and looked away. Seeing things like I did? "But up until the diagnosis, he'd been fine. They started him on chemo and radiation, but everything...went to shit so quickly. He died about two months later."

"Oh, my God, Annabeth, I'm so sorry." her face was pale, voice soft. "That's terrible."

"It's okay." I forced a smile I didn't feel. "It was about three years ago. It's why my mom wanted to move, a new start and all that jazz."

In the sunlight, her eyes glistened. "I can understand that. Losing someone doesn't get easier with time, does it?"

"No." By the sound of it, she knew what it felt like, but before I could ask, the door to her house swung open. Knots formed in my stomach. "Oh no," I whispered.

Pearl twisted around, letting out a light sigh. "Look who's back."

It was past one in the afternoon, and Percy looked as if he'd just rolled out of bed. His jeans were rumpled, dark hair tousled all over the place. He was on the phone, talking to someone as be rubbed a hand along his jaw.

And he was shirtless.

"Doesn't he own a shirt?" I asked, grabbing a spade.

"Unfortunately, I don't think so. Not even in the winter. He's always running around half dressed." She groaned. "It's disturbing that I have to see so much of his...skin. Yuck."

Yuck for her. And hot damn for me. I started digging several holes in strategic places. My throat felt dry. Beautiful face. Beautiful body. Horrible attitude. It was the holy trinity of hot boys.

Percy stayed on the phone for about thirty minutes, and his presence had a swamping effect. There was no ignoring him, not even when I had my back to him- I could feel him watching. My shoulder blades tingled under his heavy stare. Once I glanced over, and he was gone, only to show up a few seconds later with a shirt on. Damn. I kind of missed the view.

I was patting down new soil when Percy swaggered over, dropping a heavy arm over his sister's shoulders. She tried to wiggle free, but he held her close. "Hey, sis."

Pearl rolled her eyes, but she was grinning. A look of hero-worship filled her eyes as she gazed at him. "Thanks for moving the bags for us."

"Wasn't me."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever, you butthead."

"That's not nice." he pulled her closer smiling- really smiling, and it was a nice look on him. He should try it more often. He glanced over at me and his eyes narrowed, as if he just realized I was there, in _my_ yard. The smile was gone. "What are you doing?"

I glanced down at myself. It seemed pretty obvious considering I was covered in dirt and there were several plants scattered around me. "I'm fixing-"

"I wasn't talking to you." He turned to his red-faced sister. "What are _you_ doing?"

I was not going to let him get to me again. I shrugged and picked up a potted plant. Yanking the plant out of its container, I ripped roots right along with it.

"I'm helping her with the flower bed. Be nice." Pearl punched him in the stomach before squirming free. "Look at what we've done. I think I have a hidden talent."

Percy turned his eyes on my landscaping masterpiece. If I had to pick a dream job right now, it would be working with landscaping and outdoors. Yeah I sucked butt in the wilderness, but I was at my best with my hands sunk deep into the dirt. The numbing it brought, the way everything smelled earthy and rich, and how little water and fresh soil could bring life back into something that was faded and dying. I loved everything about it.

And I was good at it.

Percy arched a brow.

My inside tightened. "What?"

He shrugged. "It's nice, I guess."

"Nice?" Pearl sounded as offended as I felt. "It's better than nice. We rocked this project. Well, Annabeth rocked it. I just kind if handed her stuff."

"Is this what you do with your spare time?" Percy asked, ignoring his sister.

"What- are you deciding to talk to _me_ now?" smiling tightly, I grabbed a handful of mulch and dumped it. Rinse and repeat. "Yeah, it's kind of a hobby. What's yours? Kicking puppies?"

"I'm not sure I should say it in front of my sister," he replied, his expression turning wolffish.

"Ew." Pearl made a face.

The images I got then were totally R-rated, and I could tell by the smug expression on his face he knew it. I grabbed more mulch.

"But it's not nearly as lame as this." He added.

I froze. Pieces of red cedar floated from my fingers. "Why is this lame?"

His look said _do I really need to explain?_ And yeah, gardening wasn't the height of coolness. I knew that. But it wasn't lame. Because I liked Pearl, I clamped my mouth shut and started spreading the mulch out.

Pearl pushed her brother, but he didn't move. "Don't be jerk. Please?"

"I'm not being a jerk." He denied.

I raised my eyebrows.

"What's that? You have something to say, _Kitten_?"

"Other than the fact that I'd like for you to never call me _Kitten_? No." I smoothed the mulch out, then stood, admiring our work. Casting Pearl a look, I grinned. "I think we did good."

"Yeah," she pushed her brother again. "I think we did. I think I like being lame."

Percy stared at the freshly planted flower bed, almost like he were dissecting them for a science experiment.

"And I think we need to spread our lameness to the flower bed in front of our house," she continued, her eyes filling with excitement. "We can go to the store to get more stuff-"

"She's not welcome in our house," Percy snapped, turning to his sister. "Seriously."

Surprised by the amount of venom in his words, I took a step back.

Pearl, however, didn't. Her delicate hands turned into fists. "The flower bed is _outside_-not inside- last time I checked."

"I don't care. I don't want her over there."

"Percy, don't do this," Pearl whispered, tears filling her eyes. "Please... I like her."

The remarkable happened. His face softened. "Pearl..."

"Please?" She asked again, bouncing like a small girl asking for her favorite toy, which was odd to watch given how tall she was. I wanted to punch Percy for turning his sister into someone clearly starving for friendship.

He cursed under his breath. "Pearl, you have friends."

"It's not the same and you know it. It's different." Her movement mirrored his.

Percy glanced over at me, his lips curling. If I still had the spade, I would've chucked it at his head. Hard. "They're your friends. They're like you, Pearl. You don't need to be friends with someone...someone like _her_."

I'd kept quiet up until that point because I didn't know what was going on, and I didn't want to say something that would upset Pearl. Dickhead was her brother, after all, but that- _that_ was way too much. "What do you mean someone like me?"

He titled his head to the side and let out a long breath.

Pearl's eyes darted to me nervously. "He didn't mean anything by that."

"Bullshit." He muttered.

I clenched my hands into fists. "What the _hell_ is your problem?"

Percy faced me. There was a strange look on his face. "You."

"I'm your problem?" I took a step forward. "I don't even know you. And you don't know me."

"You are all the same." A muscle popped in his jaw. "I don't need to get to know you. Or want to."

I threw my hands up, frustrated ."That works perfectly for me, buddy, because I don't want to get to know you either."

"Percy," Pearl grabbed his arm. "Knock it off."

He smirked as he watched me. "I don't like that you're friends with my sister."

I said the first thing that came to mind. Probably not the smartest, and normally I wasn't the type of person to fire back, but this guy got under my skin and made me see red. "I don't give two shits what you like."

One second he was standing next to Pearl and the next he was right in front of me. And I mean, _right in front of me. _He couldn't have moved that fast. It was impossible. But there he was, towering over me and staring down.

"How...how did you move...?" I took a step back, words failing me. The intensity in his eyes sent shivers down my arms. _Holy crap._..

"Listen closely," he said, taking a step forward. I took one back, and he matched my steps until my back bit into one of the tall trees. Percy bent his head down, his unnatural green eyes taking up my whole world. Heat rolled off his body. "I'm only going to tell you this once. If anything happens to my sister, so help me-" he stopped, taking a deep breath as his gaze dropped to my parted lips. My breath caught. Something flickered in his eyes, but they narrowed again, hiding whatever had been there.

The images were back. The two of us. Hot and sweaty. I bit my lip and tried to make my expression blank, but yet again I knew he could tell what I was thinking when his expression turned annoyingly smug. Beyond annoying.

"You're kind of dirty, Kitten."

I blinked. Deny. Deny. Deny. "What did you say?"

"Dirty," he repeated, voice so low I knew Pearl couldn't hear him. "You're covered in dirt. What did you think I meant?"

"Nothing." I said, wishing he'd back the hell up. Percy being this close wasn't exactly comforting. "I'm gardening. You get dirty when you do that."

His lips twitched. "There are more fun ways to get...dirty. Not that I'd ever show _you_."

I had a feeling he knew each way intimately. A flush spread over my cheeks, down my throat. "I'd rather roll around in manure that anything _you_ might sleep in."

Percy arched a brow and then spun around. "You need to call Matthew," he said to his sister. "Like now and not in five minutes."

I stayed against the tree, eyes wide and unmoving, watching as he disappeared back into his house. I swallowed and looked at Pearl. "Okay," I said. "That was intense."

Pearl dropped down on the steps. "I really love him. He's my brother- the only-" she cut herself off and looked at me. "But he's a dick. He wasn't always like that."

Speechless, I stared at her. My heart was still racing, pumping blood way too fast. I wasn't sure it was fear or adrenaline that was making me dizzy when I finally pushed away from the tree and approached her.

"It's hard having friends with him around." She murmured, staring at her hands. "He runs them all off."

"Gee, I wonder why." Actually, I did wonder why. His possessiveness seemed a bit off the charts. My hands were still shaking and even though he'd gone back into his house, I could still _feel_ him- the heat he'd thrown off. It'd been...exciting. Sadly.

"I'm so, so sorry." She jumped up from the steps. "It's just, he's overprotective."

"I get that, but it's not like I'm some dude trying to molest you or something."

A grin peeked through. "I know, but he worries a lot. He'll calm down once he gets to know you."

Not likely.

"Please tell me he hasn't run you off, too." Her brows furrowed as she stepped in front of me. "I know you probably think hanging out with my isn't worth-"

"No, it's okay." I ran a hand over my forehead. "He didn't run me off-he won't."

She looked so relieved I thought she would collapse."Good. I have to go, but I'll fix this. I promise."

I shrugged. "There's nothing to fix. He isn't your problem."

A strange look crossed her face. "But he kind of is. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

Nodding, I watched her walk back to her house. I grabbed the empty bags. What the hell had that been about? Never in my life had someone disliked me so strongly. Shaking my head, I dumped the bags into the trash.

Percy was hot, but he was a jerk. A bully. And I'd meant what I said to Pearl. He wasn't going to scare me off from being friends with his sister. He'd just have to deal with it. I was here to stay.

* * *

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	4. Plans

On Monday, I skipped posting on my blog, mainly because it was a "What are you reading" type thing and I wasn't reading anything new at the moment. I decided my poor car needed a bath instead. Mom would be proud if she had been up, seeing that I was outside during summer and not chained to my laptop. Other than the occasional gardening, I was usually a shut-in.

The sky was clear and the air carried a light musky scent mixed with pine. Soon after I got started cleaning the inside of my car, I was amazed by how many pens and hair ties I found. Seeing my book bag in the back seat caused me to cringe. I would be starting school in a couple of weeks and I knew Pearl would be surrounded by friends. Friends Percy probably approved if, which wasn't me, because he obviously thought I was a crack dealer.

Next, I got out a bucket and hose and soaped up most of the car, but when I reached over the top roof, all I ended up doing was soaking myself and dropping the sponge dozens of times. No matter how many times I tried to attack the roof top, it wasn't working.

Cursing, I started picking out pieces of gravel and grass from the sponge. I wanted to launch it into the nearby woods. Frustrated, I tossed the sponge into the bucket.

"You look as if you could use some help."

I jumped. Percy stood a few feet away from me, hands in the front pockets of his faded jeans. His bright eyes sparkled in the sunlight.

His sudden appearance startled me. I hadn't even heard him. How could someone move so damn quietly, especially as tall as he was. And hey, he had a shirt on. I wasn't sure if I should be grateful or disappointed. Mouth aside, he was drool worthy. I snapped out of it, preparing for the inevitable verbal smack-down.

He wasn't smiling, but at least he didn't look like he wanted to kill me this time. If anything, his expression was a mask of grudging acceptance.

"You looked as though you wanted to throw that again." He gestured to the bucket with his elbow and the sponge floating on top of the suds. "I figured I'd do my good deed for the day and intervene before any innocent sponges lost their lives."

I brushed a few strands of wet hair out of my face not sure what to say.

Percy bent quickly and snatched up the sponge, squeezing out the excess water. "You look like you got more of a bath than the car. I never thought washing a car would be so hard, but after watching you for the last fifteen minutes, I'm convinced it should be an Olympic sport."

"You were watching me?" Kind of creepy. Kind of hot. _No! Not hot_.

He shrugged. "You could always take the car to the car wash. It would be a lot easier you know."

"Car washes are a waste of money."

"True," he said slowly. He knelt down and began cleaning a spot I'd missed on the fender around the tire before tackling the roof of the car. "You need new tires. These are about bald and winter's crazy around here."

I didn't care about my tires. I couldn't figure out why he was here, talking to me, when the last time we'd spoken he'd acted like I was the antichrist and practically had me pinned to a tree, talking about ways to get dirty. And why hadn't I brushed my hair this morning?

"Anyway, I'm glad you were out here." He finished with the roof in record time and picked up the hose. He flashed a half grin at me and started spraying down the car with water, the suds running down the sides like an overflowing cup. "I think I'm supposed to apologize."

"You _think_ your supposed to?"

Percy faced me, eyes narrowed against the bright sun, and I barely dodged the spray of water as he tackled the other side of the car. "Yeah, according to Pearl I needed to get my ass over here and make nice. Something about me killing her chances of having a 'normal' friend."

"A normal friend? What kind of friends does she have?"

"Not normal," he replied.

He preferred 'not normal' friends for his sister? "Well apologizing and not meaning it kind of defeats the purpose of apologizing"

He made an affirmative noise. "True."

I stared at at him. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah," he dragged the word out, working his way around the car as be continued to rinse off the soap suds. "Actually, I don't have a choice. I have to make nice."

"You don't seem like a person who does anything he doesn't want to do."

"Normally, I'm not." He moved around the back of the car. "But my sister took my car keys and until I play nice, I don't get them back. It's too damn annoying to get replacements."

I tried to stop it, but I laughed. "She took your keys?"

He scowled, returning to my side. "It's not funny."

"You're right." I laughed. "It's freaking hilarious."

Percy shot me a dirty look.

I folded my arms. "I'm sorry though. I'm not accepting your not-so-sincere apology."

"Not even when I'm cleaning your car?"

"Nope." I smiled at the way his eyes narrowed. "You may never see those keys again."

"Well, damn, there went my plan." A begrudging smile toyed with the corners of his mouth. "I figured that if I really didn't feel bad, then I could at least make up for it."

Part of me was annoyed, but there was another part of me that was amused. Reluctantly amused. "Are you normally this warm and sparkly?"

He headed past me and turned the water off. "Always. Do you usually stare at guys when you stop over, asking for directions?"

"Do you always open the door half-naked?"

"Always. And you didn't answer my question. Do you always stare?"

Heat rushed through my cheeks. "I was_ not _staring."

"Really?" He asked. That half grin was there again, hinting at dimples. "Anyway, you woke me up. I'm not a morning person."

"It wasn't even that early." I pointed out.

"I sleep in. It's summer, you know. Don't you sleep in?"

I pushed back a strand of hair that escaped my ponytail. "No. I always get up early."

He groaned. "You sound so much like my sister. No wonder she loves you so much already."

"Pearl has taste...unlike some." I said. His lips twitched. "And she's great. I really like her. So if you're over here to play big, bad brother, just forget it."

"That's not why I'm here." He gathered up the bucket and various sprays and cleansers. I probably should have helped him sort things out, but it was fascinating watching him take charge of my little cleaning project. Although he kept tossing me the odd half smile, I could tell this little exchange was awkward for him.

Good.

"Then why are you here, other than delivering a crappy apology?" I couldn't stop staring at his mouth when he spoke. I bet he knew how to kiss. Perfect kisses too, ones that weren't wet and gross, but the kind that curled toes.

I needed to stop looking at him in general.

Percy placed all the supplies on the porch steps and straightened. Stretching his arms over his head, his shirt rode up, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of muscles. His gaze lingered on my face, and warmth blossomed in my belly. "Maybe I'm just curious why she is so enamored. Pearl doesn't take well to strangers. None of us do."

"I had a dog once that didn't take well to strangers."

Percy stared at me for a moment, then laughed. It was a deep, rumbling sound. Nice. Sexy. Oh God, I looked away. He was the kind of boy that broke hearts and left a long line of them shattered behind him. He was trouble. Maybe the fun kind of trouble, but he was also a jerk. And I didn't do jerks. Not that I _did_ anyone.

I cleared my throat. "Well thanks for the car thing."

Suddenly he was right in front of me again. So close that his toes almost touched mine. I sucked in a sharp breath, wanting to back up. He needed to stop doing that. "How do you move so fast?"

He ignored my question. "My little sis does seem to like you," he said, as if he couldn't figure out why.

Mi bristled and tilted my head back but kept my gaze over his shoulder. "Little? You're twins."

"I was born a whole four minutes and thirty seconds before she was," he boasted, his eyes meeting mine. "Technically, she is my little sister."

My throat felt dry. "She's the baby in the family?"

"Yep, therefore I'm the one starved for attention."

"That explains your poor attitude I guess," I retorted.

"Maybe, but most people find me charming."

I started to respond but made the mistake of looking into his eyes. I was immediately snared by the unnatural color, reminding me of he purest, deepest parts of the ocean. "I have...a hard time believing that."

His lips curled slightly. "You shouldn't, Annie." He picked up a loose section of hair that had escaped my clip, twirling the hair around his finger. "What kind of blonde is this?"

My cheeks itched with heat. I snatched my hair back. "It's called honey blonde."

"Hmm, he said, nodding. "You and I have plans to make."

"What?" I sidestepped his large body, dragging in a deep breath as I gained some distance. My heart was totally pounding. "We don't have any plans to make."

Percy sat down on the steps, stretching out his long legs and leaning back on his elbows.

"Comfortable?" I snapped.

"Very." He squinted up at me. "About these plans..."

I stood a few feet away from him. "What are you talking about?"

"You remember the whole 'getting my ass over here and playing nice' thing, right? That also involves my car keys?" He crossed his ankles as his gaze slid over to the trees. "Those plans involve me getting my car keys back."

"You need to give me a little more explanation than that."

"Of course," he sighed. "Pearl hid my keys. She's good at hiding stuff, too. I've already torn the house apart and I can't find them."

"So make her tell you where they are." Thank God I didn't have any siblings.

"Oh, I would, if she were here. But she's left town and won't be back until Sunday."

"What?" She'd never mentioned going out of town. Or family nearby. "I didn't know that."

"It was a last minute thing." He uncrossed his ankles and began tapping his right foot. "And the only way she's going to tell me where the keys are is by me earning bonus points. See, my sister has this thing about bonus points, ever since elementary school."

I started to smile. "Okay...?"

"I have to earn bonus points to get my keys back," he explained. "The only way I can earn those points is by doing something nice for you."

I busted out laughing again. The look on his face was awesome. "I'm sorry, but this is kind of funny."

Percy drew in a deep, disgusted breath. "Yeah, it's real funny."

My laugh faded. "What do you have to do?"

"I'm supposed to take you swimming tomorrow. If I do that, then she'll tell me where my keys are hidden. _And_ I have to be nice."

He had to be kidding. But the longer I stared at him, I realized he was being serious. My mouth dropped open. "So the only way you can get your keys back is by taking me swimming and being nice to me?"

"Wow. You're a quick one."

I did laugh again. "Yeah, well, you can kiss your keys goodbye."

Suprise rose on his face. "Why?"

"Beacuse I'm not going anywhere with you." I told him.

"We don't have a choice."

"No. _You_ don't have a choice, but I do." I glanced at the closed door behind him, wondering if Mom was somewhere trying to listen. "I'm not the one with missing keys."

Percy watched me for a minute, and then he grinned. "You don't want to hang out with me?"

"Uh, no."

"Why not?"

I rolled my eyes. "For starters, you're a jerk."

He nodded. "I can be."

"And I'm not spending time with a guy who's being forced to do it by his sister. I'm not desperate."

"You're not?"

Anger whipped through me. "Get off my porch."

He seemed to consider it. "No."

"What?" I sputtered. "What do you mean no?"

"I'm not leaving until you agree to go swimming with me."

If this was a damn cartoon, steam would be shooting from my ears. "Fine. You can sit here, because I'd rather eat glass than spend time with you."

He laughed. "That sounds drastic."

"Not really." I shot back, heading up the porch stairs.

Percy twisted around, catching my ankle. His grip was loose, his hand incredibly warm. I looked down at him, and he smiled at me, as innocent as an angel. "I'll sit here all day and night. I'll camp out on your porch. And I won't leave. We have all week, Kitten. Either get it over with tomorrow and be done with me, or I'll be right here until you do agree. You won't be able to leave the house."

I gaped at him. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, I am."

"Just tell her we went and I had a great time." I tried to pull my foot free but he held on. "Lie."

"She'll know if I'm lying. We're twins. We know these things." He paused. "Or are you too shy to go swimming with me? Does the idea of getting almost naked around me make you uncomfortable?"

I grabbed on the railing and yanked on my foot. The dickhead was only lightly holding onto me, but my foot wouldn't budge. "I'm from California, idiot. I've spent half my life in a bathing suit."

"What's the big deal?"

"I don't like you." I stopped pulling and stood there. His hand seemed to hum around my skin. It was the weirdest feeling ever. "Let go of my ankle."

Very slowly, he lifted each finger while holding my stare. "I'm not leaving, Kitten. Your going to do this.

My mouth opened as did the door behind us. Stomach dropping, I turned around to see my mom standing there in fuzzy-bunny pajama glory. Oh, for the love of God.

Her eyes went from me to Percy, completely misinterpreting everything. The glee in her eyes made me want to vomit on Percy's head. "You live next door?"

Percy twisted around and smiled. He had perfect white, straight teeth. "My name is Percy Jackson."

Mom smile. "Lacy Chase. Nice to meet you." She glanced at me. "You two can come inside if you want. You don't have to sit here in the heat."

"That's really nice of you." He stood and elbowed me, and not very gently. "Maybe we should go inside and finish talking about our plans."

"No," I said, glaring at him. "That won't be necessary.

"What plans?" Mom asked, smiling. "I support plans."

"I'm trying to get you're lovely daughter to go swimming with me, but I think she's worried you wouldn't like that idea." He chucked me on the arm and I almost fell into he railing. "And I think she's shy."

"What?" Mom shook her head. "I have no problems with her going swimming with you. I think it's a great idea. I've been telling her she needs to get out. Hanging out with your sister is great, but-"

"_Mom_." I narrowed my eyes at her. "That's not really-"

"I was just telling Annabeth here the same thing." Percy dropped his arm over my shoulder. "My sister's out of town for the next week. I thought I'd hang with Annabeth."

My mom smiled, pleased. "That is so sweet of you."

I wrapped my arm around his waist, digging my nails into his side. "Yeah, that's sweet of you, Percy."

He sucked in a sharp breath and let it out slowly. "You know what they say about boys next door..."

"Well, I know Annabeth doesn't have plans tomorrow." She glanced at me, and I could practically see her envisioning Percy and my future children. My mom was not normal. "She's free to go swimming."

I dropped my arm and wiggled out from under his large arm. "Mom..."

"It's okay, honey." She started back inside, giving Percy a wink. "It was nice to finally meet you."

Percy smiled. "You too."

The moment my mom shut the door, I whirled around and pushed Percy, but he was like a brick wall. "You're a jerk."

Grinning, he backed down the steps. "I'll see you at noon, Kitten."

"I hate you."

"The feelings mutual." He glanced over his shoulder. "Twenty bucks says you'll wear a one-piece swimsuit."

He was insufferable.

* * *

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	5. Red Bikini

When the first cracks of light came through my windows, I rolled onto my side, still half asleep.

I groaned.

Lucky me, I had to hang out with Percy today. I'd tossed and turned all night, dreaming about a boy with shocking green eyes and a bikini that kept coming undone. I grabbed the latest novel I had been reviewing from my nightstand and spent the morning lounging and reading, trying to think of anything but our upcoming adventure.

When the sun was high in the sky, I set the book aside and pushed off my covers, heading the the bathroom to take a shower.

A few minutes later, I was standing in a towel and staring at my swimsuit options. Horror filled me. Percy had been right. The idea of being half naked around him did make me want to spew my tater tots. Even though I couldn't stand him, and I actually think he might be the first person I ever hated, he was...he was a _god_. Who knew the kind of girls he was use to seeing in bathing suits.

Even though I wouldn't touch him for all the money in the world, I was big enough to admit that there was a part of me that wanted him to want _me_.

I only had three bathing suits that could be considered acceptable: a razorback one-piece. Plain and boring. A two-piece that was a bikini top and boy shorts, and the third was a red two-piece bikini.

I could've chosen a tent and I would've still felt uncomfortable.

Throwing the one-piece back into my closet, I held up the other two. My reflection stared back at me, a suit on each side, and it was hard to look at myself. Honey blonde hair fell to the middle of my back, and I was nervous of ever cutting it. My eyes were a plain grey, not magnetic or compelling like Pearl's. My lips were full but not as expressive as my mom's.

I spared a glance at the red suit. I was always reserved, more cautious than my mom would ever be. The red bathing suit was anything but cautious. It was flirty, sexy even. Something I clearly wasn't, and that bothered me. Reserved, practical Annabeth was who I was, safe and boring. It was why my mom felt okay leaving me alone all the time, because I would never do anything that would make her blink twice.

The kind of girl Percy expected he could easily boss around and intimidate. He probably expected me to wear a one-piece and keep my shorts on to since he'd taunted me. What had he said when he first met me? That I looked like a thirteen-year-old?

A red hot feeling sparked inside me.

Screw him.

I wanted to be exciting and bold. Maybe I even wanted to shock Percy and prove him wrong. Without a second thought, I laid the red bikini on my desk and threw the other one back into my closet.

My decision was made.

I put on the tiny scraps in record time, and a pair of denim shorts and a tank top with pretty flowers on the top to hide my audacity. Once I found my sneakers, I gathered my towel and headed downstairs.

My mom was lingering in the kitchen, the standard coffee in hand. "You slept late. Did you sleep well last night?" She asked.

Sometimes I wondered if my mom was a psychic. Shrugging, I shuffled by her and grabbed the orange juice. I concentrated way to hard on making toast while she continued to stare at my back. "I've been reading."

"Annabeth?" She said after a while.

My hand shook a bit as I buttered the toast. "Yeah?"

"Is...is everything working out for you here? Do you like it?"

I nodded. "Yeah, it's nice."

"Good," she took a deep breath. "Are you excited about today?"

My stomach dropped as I faced her. Part of me wanted to throttle her for helping Percy trap me into hanging out with him, but she didn't know any better. "Yeah." I lied.

"I think you will have a good time," she said. "Just be careful."

I shot her a knowing glance. "I doubt I'll get into any trouble swimming."

"Where are you guys going?"

"I don't know. He didn't say. Somewhere nearby I'm sure."

Mom made her way to the door. "You know what I mean. He's a good-looking boy." Then she opened the door and left with a smirk.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I washed out her coffee cup, jumping when someone banged on the door. My heart flipped as I looked at the time.

11:46 a.m.

After taking a calm breath, I stumbled over to the door and opened it. Percy stood with a towel thrown casually over his shoulder.

"I'm a little early."

"I can see," I said, voice flat. "Change your mind? You could always try lying."

He arched a brow. "I'm not a liar."

I stared at him. "Just give me one sec to grab my stuff." I didn't wait for his reply. I swung the door shut in his face. It was childish, but it felt like I'd scored a small victory. I went to the kitchen and grabbed my stuff before returning and opening the door again. Percy was right where I left him.

Nervous excitement fluttered in my belly as I locked the front door and followed Percy down the driveway. "Okay, so where are you taking me?"

"What fun would it be if you knew?" he asked. "You won't be surprised then."

"I'm new to town, remember? Everywhere is going to be a surprise for me."

"Then why ask?" He cocked a smug eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes. "We aren't going to drive?"

Percy laughed. "No. Where we're going you can't drive. It's not a well-known spot. Most locals don't even know about it."

"Oh, I'm special then."

"You know what I think, Wise Girl?"

I looked at him. "Wise Girl?"

He smirked. "You know, that sounds too nice. Maybe Wise Ass." He paused and pretended to think. "Yeah, I like that one. And so you know, it's because you dress like a nerd, so I'm sure you are one."

"I don't dress like a nerd!" I seriously thought my outfit had been a cute pick today.

He shrugged. "Well the first day I met you, you sure as hell did."

I rolled my eyes at his reference to the 'My Blog Is Better Than Your Vlog' shirt I owned. Jerk. "You were going to tell me something before?" I peeked at him and caught him watching me with such serious intensity I flushed. "I'm pretty sure I don't want to know."

"I think my sister finds you very special. I'm starting to wonder if she's onto something."

I smirked. "But there's all kinds of special now, isn't there, Percy."

He seemed to hear his name. After a beat the intensity was gone, and he led me down the road and across the main highway. He had me curious when we entered the dense tree line on the other side of the road.

"Are you taking me out to the woods as a trick?" I asked, half serious.

He glanced over his shoulder, lashes hiding his eyes. "And what would I do out here to you, Kitten?"

I shivered. "The possibilities are endless."

"Aren't they?" He made his way easily around the thick brush and vines tangled together on the floor of the woods.

I was having a hell of a time not breaking my neck on the many exposed roots and moss-covered rocks. "Can we pretend we did this?"

"Trust me, I don't want to be doing this either." He jumped over a fallen tree. "But bitching about it isn't going to make it any easier." Turning around, he offered me his hand.

'You're such a joy to talk to." I briefly considered ignoring it, but I placed my hand in his. Static passed from his skin to mine. I bit down on my lip as he helped my over the downed tree before dropping my hand. "Thank you."

Percy looked away and continued walking. "Are you excited about school?"

What? Like he cared? "It's not exciting being the newbie. You kow, the whole sticking out like a sore thumb. Not fun."

"I can see that."

"You can?"

"Yeah, I can. We only have a little bit more to go."

I wanted to question him further, but why put the effort into it? He'd give me another vague answer or innuendo. "A little bit? How long have we been walking?"

"About twenty minutes, maybe a little longer. I told you it was fairly hidden."

Following him over another uprooted tree, I saw a clearing ahead beyond the trees.

"Welcome to our little piece of paradise." There was a sardonic twist to his lips.

Ignoring him, I walked into the clearing. I was amazed. "Wow. This place is beautiful."

"It is." He stood next to me, one hand cupping his eyes against the glare from the sun bouncing off the smooth surface of the water.

I could tell from the stiff set of shoulders, this place was special to him. Just knowing this kind of made my stomach flutter. I reached up and put my hand on his arm, and he turned to face me. "Thank you for bringing me."

Before Percy could open his mouth and ruin the moment, I dropped my hand and diliberatly looked away.

A creek divide the clearing, expanding into a small, natural lake. It ripped in the soft breeze. Rocks erupted from the middle, flat and smooth-looking. Somehow, the land had been cleared in a perfect circle around the water. Large patches of flat, grassy land and wildflowers blossomed in the full sun. It was peaceful.

I went to the water's edge. "How deep is it?"

"About ten feet in most parts, twenty feet on the other side of the rocks." He was right behind me, doing that creepy, quiet walking thing. "Pearl loves it here. Before you came, she spent most of her days here."

To Percy, my arrival was the beginning of the end. The apocalypse. "You know, I'm not going to get your sister in trouble."

"We'll see."

"I'm not a bad influence," I tried again. Things would be much easier if we could just get along. "I haven't ever gotten into trouble before.

He slipped around me, eyes on the still waters. "She doesn't need a friend like you."

"There isn't anything wrong with me," I snapped. "You know what? Forget this."

He sighed. "Why do you garden?"

I stopped, hands clenching. "What?"

"Why do you garden?" he asked again, still staring at the lake. "Pearl said you do it so you don't think. What do you want to avoid thinking about?"

Was this caring and sharing time? "It's none of your business."

Percy shrugged. "Then lets go swimming."

Swimming was the last thing I wanted to do. Drowning him? Maybe. But then he kicked off his sneakers and took off his jeans. Underneath, he had on swim trunks. then he whipped his shirt off in one quick motion. _Dayum_. I'd seen guys without their shirts on before. I lived in California, where every guy felt the need to walk around half-dressed. Hell, I'd seen _this_ half-naked guy before. This shouldn't be a big deal.

But man, I was so wrong.

He had a great build, not too big but more muscles that any boy his age should have. Percy moved with fluid grace to the water, his muscles flexing and stretching with every step.

I wasn't sure how long I stood staring after him before he finally dived into the water. My cheeks were warm. I exhaled, realizing I'd been holding my breath. I needed to get a grip. Or a camera to memorialize this moment, because I bet I could make money from a video of him. I could make a fortune... As long as he never opened his mouth.

Percy broke the surface several feet away from where he went under, water glistening in his hair and on the tips of his lashes. His dark hair was slicked back, bringing more focus on his eerie green eyes. "Are you coming in?"

Recalling the red bathing suit I'd decided to wear, I whished I could run away. My earlier confidence had evaporated. I toed off my shoes with slow, deliberate movements, pretending to enjoy the surroundings while my heart threw itself against my ribs.

He watched for a few moments, curious. "You sure are shy, aren't you, Kitten?"

I stilled. "Why do you call me that?"

"Because it makes your hair stand up, like a kitten." Percy was laughing at me. He pushed back farther, the water lapping at his chest. "So? Are you coming in?"

Good God, he wasn't gong to turn around or anything. And there was a challenge in his stare, as he expected me to chicken out. Maybe that's what he wanted-expected. there was no doubt in my mind that he knew he had an effect on girls.

Practical, boring Annabeth would've gone into the lake fully clothed.

I didn't want to be her. That was the whole purpose of the red bathing suit. I wanted to prove to him I wasn't easily intimidated. I was determined to win this round.

Percy looked bored. "I'm giving you one minute to get in here."

I resisted the urge to flip him off again and took a deep breath. It wasn't as if I was getting naked, not really. "Or what?"

He moved closer to the bank of the lake. "Or I come and get you."

I scowled at him. "I'd like to see you try that."

"Forty seconds." He taunted from an even shorter distance.

"Jesus," I muttered, yanking my shirt off. I thought twice about throwing it at his head. I raced to shed my shorts when he called out the last taunting reminder.

I stepped toward the edge of the lake with my hands on my hips. "Happy?"

Percy lost his smile and stared. "I'm never happy around you."

"What did you say?" My eyes narrowed on his blank expression. He did _not_ say what I thought he did.

"Nothing. You better get in before that blush reaches your toes."

Flushing even more under his scrutiny, I turned and walked toward the edge of the lake where the drop-off wasn't steep. The water felt great, easing the uncomfortable heat prickling my skin.

I stumbled for anything to say. "It's beautiful out here."

He watched me for a moment and then thankfully disappeared under the water. Water dripped down his face when he popped back up. Needing to cool my face off, I went under. The cold rush was invigorating, clearing my thoughts. Resurfacing, I pushed the long clumps of hair out of my face.

Percy eyed me from a few feet away, his cheeks above the waterline and his breath blowing the occasional bubble to break the surface tension. Something in his gaze beckoned me closer.

"What?" I asked after a stretch of silence.

"Why don't you come here?"

There was no way I was going near him. Not even if he dangled a cookie in his hand. Trust and his name didn't go together. I twisted around, dipping under water, heading for the rocks I'd seen in the middle of the lake.

I reached them in a few strong strokes and pulled myself out of the water, onto the warm hard surface. I started squeezing the water out of my hair. He treaded in the middle of the lake. "You look disappointed."

Percy didn't respond. A curious, almost confused look crossed his face. "Well...what do we have here?"

I dangled my feet into the water and made a face at him. "What are you talking about now?"

"Nothing." He waded closer to me.

"You said something."

"I did, didn't I?"

"You're strange."

"You're not what I expected," he said in a hushed voice.

"What does that mean?" I asked as he made a grab for my foot, and I moved my leg out of his reach. "I'm not good enough to be your sister's friend?"

"You don't have anything in common with her."

"How would you know?" I shifted as he reached for the other leg.

"I know."

"We have a lot in common. And I like her. She's nice and she's fun." I scooted back, completely out of his grasp. "And you should stop being such a dick and chasing off her friends."

Percy was quiet, and then he laughed. "You're not really like them."

"Like who?"

Another long moment passed. The water lapped around his shoulders, tiny ripples echoing from his chest as he pushed away.

Shaking my head, I watched him disappear under the water again. I leaned back and closed my eyes. The way the warmth of the full sun fell against my upturned face, and the way the heat from the rock seeped through my skin reminded me of dozing off at the beach. Cool water trickled my toes. I could stay here all day, basking in the sun. Minus Percy, it would've been perfect.

I had no idea what he meant by the whole not like them or needing a friend like me. It had to be more than him being a psycho overprotective brother. Pushing up, I expected to see him floating on his back, but he had disappeared. I didn't see him anywhere. I stood up, careful of the sloping rock, and scanned the lake, studying the twinkling surface for a mass of black wavy hair.

I made another turn on the rock as unease bubbled in my stomach. Did he leave me here as a joke? But wouldn't I have heard him?

I waited, thinking that any second he would break out of the water, lungs gasping for breath, but seconds turned into a minute, and then another. I kept searching the calm surface for any sign of Percy, growing more frantic with each sweep of my eyes.

I dragged my hair behind my ears, cupping my hand against the harsh sun. There was no way he could've held his breath this long. No way.

My breath hitched, then turned to ice in my tight chest. This was wrong. I scrambled across the rock and peered down into the still water.

Had he hurt himself somehow?

"Percy!" I screamed.

There was no response.

* * *

**And there it is! Sorry for the long wait guys I don't really have an excuse other than not being in the mood. Winter kind of brings moods swings in for this girl. I hope you guys liked it!**

**Remember! This story is completely based off of the 'Lux Series'! I'm in love with that series and I think too many people miss out on reading it so I'm bringing it to you through Annabeth and Percy. Alright? **

**Great!**

**Anyways please review and check out another new story I just published called 'Armageddon'. It stars your favorite couple of course, Percabeth.**

**I am about to type up the next chapter for it as soon as I publish this one.**

**Oh, wait, well first my little brother wants me to play some Pokémon game with him. Great. -_-**

**So! Review and check out my other new story (it's about zombies wink wink)!**


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